South Carolina Postgame Report

[cncchris33]

1. A win is a win, but this team is so hard to watch. They didn't deserve to win today, though, to be fair, neither did South Carolina. USCe's ineptitude at the foul line saved our bacon. We are just bad in some very basic, fundamental skills. The TO numbers are alarming. The dumb passes by our guards, the total lack of awareness by our bigs, it just blows my mind that this is a Rick Barnes coached team be cause they play so anti-Rick Barnes. Beyond frustrating.

2. How do you shoot 26% for an entire game and 19% from 3, and manage to win? It really is amazing. Offensively, that was one of the worst combined efforts from two teams I've seen in a while. We had two droughts in which we didn't score from the field in the first half that combined to equal something like 16 minutes. We hit 7 shots from the field in each half, so we were consistently terrible.

3. Jordan Bowden...there just aren't words for it, folks. Right now, offensively, he is broken. That's all you can say. I swear I would try to bring him off the bench to see if it helps to fix his mental state, right now. I just see no reason not to try that, at this point. It is the only thing we haven't tried. What is happening, right now, isn't working.

4. Honestly, the only player I can't really complain about, right now, is Fulkerson.
Bowden shot 1-17.
Pons shot 0-7.
Vescovi had 7 TOs.
Nkamhoua and Pember cannot defend or rebound effectively despite their size.
Fulk had a double-double, 15/10, hit all 5 of his FTs, and only committed 2 TOs and 3 fouls in 37 minutes.

5. We have seemingly lucked out by Vandy missing Nesmith. @UGA and then @Vandy was gonna be crucial to split. I feel better about our chances of doing that, but we have to be a better disciplined offensive team moving forward. Performances like today are inexcusable.

 

[cncchris33]

I'll also add that we couldn't score at the rim if our lives depended on it. How many shots right at the basket did we miss today? 6? 8?

Sorry for the continued pessimism following a win. They are just so doggone frustrating to watch when they play that way, and it is happening too much. There is just seemingly no answer to get them right, at the moment. The way we play, the only real answer is to start making outside shots because we can't score in the paint with consistency and we can't create opportunities to get to the rim. Hitting 3s is our only remedy.

 

[ArdentVol]

some quick-thinking from Fulkerson

 

[calban]

Have to submit to Grandma Said replies to keep from getting into trouble. I have no post season expectations for this MESS. Sorry Granny.

 

[livefaith]

I knew it was going to be a challenging season. But it still feels hard to watch.

 

[livefaith]

some quick-thinking from Fulkerson

Fulky playing way up this year. Proud of that guy. Made a lot of plays today.

 

[iKrager]

To be fair, a LOT of looks were easy, and sometimes wide-open due to South Carolina’s horrid defense and we still missed them?

Remember when Fulkerson missed an easy bunny-layup? Yeah, he’s on scholarship folks.

Jalen Johnson and Ives Pons had copious amounts of wide open shots and neither could buy a bucket with a sack full of cash.

 

[ndubvols]

We’re not gonna have many pretty wins where we score a bunch then run and hide. The ability to win ugly may be what gets this team in the tournament and could lay the foundation for next season. Glad they found a way dispute the shooting woes. Thought the offensive movement was actually decent today, just have to finish better/make some shots. Defensive rebounding and turnovers are my biggest concern going forward in sec play.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

5 of 9 players in the rotation are freshmen. Hopefully they'll be playing like 5 sophomores before February ends. Making the NIT Final Four would be a great finish.

JJJ may not be filling up the scoring column, but he's pretty solid (except for a couple of really bad TOs).

I don't think that you sit Bowden. He just needs to take about 10 fewer shots per game.

 

[Namorto1]

They is no way we should have won this game but South Carolina was equally horrible. A win is a win. I will take 9 more W’s however we can get them.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Even Red Panda was only 1 for 4 on the 5-bowl kick. 5 for 9 overall.

 

[Peyton Berry]

The offense does look awful. It seems Barnes and staff are still looking for offensive identity and working in Vescovi and what 5 to put on the court.
Ever since the FSU and VCU games, teams have been copying them in really pressuring our passes and getting in passing lanes, and packing it in defensively. Basically giving us outside opportunities, and the guys just aren’t able to hit enough shots or protect the ball enough to change that.
If we can start making teams respect us at the 3 line and cut down on our turnovers, it would make a huge difference. I think they need to get James drive the ball more, just my opinion

 

[orbs son]

Unfortunately for our team, Bone and Grant left a year early. We just weren’t built for them to go. Our team is full of roll players except one or two who are Freshmen. Just gotta grind through this year and things will be better next.

 

[JacketVol]

JB is the key. He shoots 40-45 percent from the field then we win games like this by double digits. We have to get him going. Our D is as good as last year and rebounding has been way better than I thought it would be with lack of bigs going into the season. This team is 10-5 and 2-1 in the SEC and has played a tough OOC schedule and still have a way to make the tourney despite losing Turner who was probably expected to be our best returning player. Keep winning even if ugly. Go 8-7 to finish 10-8 the conference and you are 18-13 assuming a loss to Kansas. Win one in the tourney to go 19-14 and you have a path to NCAA. It is still out there.

 

[cardvolfan]

Even Red Panda was only 1 for 4 on the 5-bowl kick. 5 for 9 overall.

Yeah, definitely an off day for the Red Panda. Took 3 mulligans on the 5-bowler. Between her performance and two rotten halves of basketball, today was a downer. By the way, anyone ever seen RP miss those 5-bowls like she did today? I was shocked.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

I'm disappointed in Pons. Early in the season he looked like he had taken a big step offensively and found a shot, but now his shot looks as ugly ever. I mean I guess it still looks better form-wise but he's not hitting them.

 

[VolArmy74]

It was everything going bad at once basically. It certainly showed that life is really rough if Vescovi and JJJ both are in foul trouble. There's some ugly losses coming down the pike.
That said, it could be worse, we could be South Carolina.

 

[i2amavol]

I'm disappointed in Pons. Early in the season he looked like he had taken a big step offensively and found a shot, but now his shot looks as ugly ever. I mean I guess it still looks better form-wise but he's not hitting them.

Everyone is allowed an off-night once in a while.

 

[tennrich1]

I'll also add that we couldn't score at the rim if our lives depended on it. How many shots right at the basket did we miss today? 6? 8?

Sorry for the continued pessimism following a win. They are just so doggone frustrating to watch when they play that way, and it is happening too much. There is just seemingly no answer to get them right, at the moment. The way we play, the only real answer is to start making outside shots because we can't score in the paint with consistency and we can't create opportunities to get to the rim. Hitting 3s is our only remedy.

Chris33 I'm with you. I actually had to turn it over to watch Auburn beat down Georgia for a few minutes (to show respect to Mr. Naismith). That was without a doubt the most pathetic display of offense I have seen from the Vols in a few years. And we still won. As I told a friend after the game "It really is a shame one team had to win today". At least it was the Vols. And I agree with coach...I think they are playing their hearts out...the ball just isn't dropping and we are turning it over to much.

 

[i2amavol]

JB is the key. He shoots 40-45 percent from the field then we win games like this by double digits. We have to get him going. Our D is as good as last year and rebounding has been way better than I thought it would be with lack of bigs going into the season. This team is 10-5 and 2-1 in the SEC and has played a tough OOC schedule and still have a way to make the tourney despite losing Turner who was probably expected to be our best returning player. Keep winning even if ugly. Go 8-7 to finish 10-8 the conference and you are 18-13 assuming a loss to Kansas. Win one in the tourney to go 19-14 and you have a path to NCAA. It is still out there.

Looking on the optimistic side, I think this is still very possible. Keep improving, and we might even steal one or two more. As I said in the game thread, all our games with Missouri and SC have been, and are going to be ugly. Hopefully not as ugly as today, but still, you have to expect this against grind it out teams like them. We got the win, and move on to the next game. With the way everyone is talking, you would think we lost our last 2 games. We are righting the ship - if ever so slowly.

I think it is critical that we win these games against the weaker teams at the front end of our schedule. It is also critical to continue improving as a team. I have no doubt that Bowden will come out of his slump. We can't go very far without him, and we have to have him on the floor for his defense.

 

[VolsAgainstTheWorld15]

I think the team will get better as the season progresses, but make no mistake, they will not be an easy team to watch at any point. Uglying games up is going to be their best chance of winning.

 

[Vols All Day]

I don't think that you sit Bowden. He just needs to take about 10 fewer shots per game.

I agree with this, but if he is open he needs to take it. He just needs to stop pressing and change his mentality about his situation. As Barnes has said all season nothing good happens when we pass up open shots, it usually turns into a turnover.

 

[The Dog]

I agree with Jacket, if Bowden hits just 40% of his shots, we blow this team out. This team will live and die, against almost every team left on our schedule, on Bowden shooting 40%, imo. Of course, against teams like Kansas, probably not going to matter anyway with their inside presence. Still, if this team somehow makes the NCAA Tournament, Bowden has to snap out of it and play like my preseason and other's predictions. Doesn't look good right now, but I have not given up hope yet. Like Chris said, split the next 2 and a 5-2 start in the SEC is still doable. Oh yeah, I added that 5-2 part, not Chris

 

[tn4elvis]

Unfortunately for our team, Bone and Grant left a year early. We just weren’t built for them to go. Our team is full of roll players except one or two who are Freshmen. Just gotta grind through this year and things will be better next.

Good post

 

[Dallasbowlin]